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Minth - Culture, Places and Terms
Cultures, places and terms relative to the planet Minth in the Realm of Kuldorii. Minth Map Locations in the Kingdom of Meitroz The following define locations within the Kingdom of Meitroz. Dorfhead The Ketomeyer Peninsula is where the town of Dorfhead resides. Dorfhead is a farming community. Through much effort, all the Kuduu has been eliminated on the Ketomeyer peninsula, and the entrance to the bridge leading to the islet is protected by gardeners who keep the Kuduu out. Massive amounts of farming takes place here. It is also where one of the three skeins on Minth lies. The water around Ketomeyer is known as Batrock bay. Cogzwarding A little fishing town that lies on the southern end of Ketomeyer. Morokai Harbor town – fishing village – down the Western Coast from Dorfhead. West and slightly North of Hezwuuld. Home of Emo Kallaiope. Meitroz Kingdom where Roki has lived her life, home of the Kuduu. In the Realm of Kuldorii Pendor Captial city. This is where King Ottair holds court, and where the "Forbidden City" of the capital exists behind the walls of the main palace. Pendor is the second largest city of Meitroz next to Midland. Midland Home of much of the Kingdom's technological production facilities, Midland is where airships are constructed, where rumblers are built for the military, and home to a large number of SpellBinders. The Binders Guild is very active here. It also contains the Binders Academy. Bragmeyer Home to the Bragmeyer Prison, the main prison for the Kingdom. Fauna of Minth Animals of Minth used by the inhabitants. Fooker The fooker is a horse replacement. It looks like a horse in body shape, but it's a reptile with grey scaled skin (small scales that are fairly smooth and very uniform). The hooves are actually claws, but they're long and thick and are shod with iron to allow them more durability on the roads of this world. Their heads are larger than horses, wider, and filled with razor sharp teeth. Special tack had to be included - it prevents the head from moving too far to the left or right, which becomes a problem mainly because they're inclined to take a bite out of the rider. Fooker are nasty tempered animals, and domestication requires a lot of work. They're faster than horses in a sprint, but slower at a walk or a trot. They're also carnivores, so they're not fed grass, and they can't graze. You have to carry kibble with you to feed them, making long journey's on fooker-back more difficult. Gloxayn Gloxayn are tame mellow animals, a cow/ox replacement for farming and for pulling carts. They're sometimes referred to as "gloxies." They're also a major food source, serving as cattle in pretty much every sense of the word. They're huge, about the size of a large buffalo, and they have antlers like a moose that shed their body heat. Because of this, their antlers are almost always hot very hot. They're hitched to carts and plows (fooker are unsuitable for farming). And there are large ranches of them where they're farmed for meat. They're herbivores, and their big saving grace for this society is that they'll eat almost anything just like goats would. You wouldn't want to ride on ones back, though. They don't like it, and will go ballistic, which is why they're sometimes used like bulls for sport. Some cities (those with gladiatorial arenas) will use them for sport, but they are seldom used in battle as this culture has steam powered vehicles and projectile weapons. Fricken Fricken are "fire breathing chickens." There isn't much more about them that's different than a chicken except that they breath fire. These things come from the original Tanathian homeworld, and have been part of the culture from the beginning. Obviously, special care and handling goes into dealing with frickens. People use fire proof gloves and clothing and shields. Fricken are placed in special fricken cages made from metal, usually with the open end of the cage facing a stone wall. Fricken are fairly tame, and won't breath fire on their handlers. Usually they only spew fire when they're scared or riled up. Shell Cats Shell cats or "shellies" as they're often called, are felines about the size of a bobcat. Like an armadillo they can role up into a ball. In temperment they're not much different than a domesticated feline, and they make good pets. They also make good pest control animals, and are common on farms throughout Minth. Standard Flora and Fauna (Non-Kuduu) The following creatures are not Kuduu, but live within the Kuduu or in other places on Minth. They are adapted to life in their specific environment, and may be unique to Minth, or imports from other realms (likely imported by the Tanathians, or created by them). Wuldagz The term "wuldag" refers to an eight legged mammal with black leathery skin. They are similar to a bat but much larger and land-bound. Wuldagz are not solitary hunters, they typically travel in packs of six to twenty and use the trees as a means of traversing the Kuduu. Koantyals I don't know what this is. Did I ever use this one? I don't think so. Kikk Kikk (usually lowercase kikk) is a type of non-Kuduu grass that produces grain similar to wheat. In fact, you can call it a wheat smeerp. Basically, kikk is wheat. Justice System On Minth, the justice system is oriented in two directions. One for the nobility, and one for the commoners. Lower Courts handle Commoner justice. Higher Courts handle Noble justice. In both cases, bribery and favoritism play a role. The courts are corrupt, just as most of the government is corrupt, and power belongs to the powerful and wealthy. Courts are run by the Magistrates office. The Magistrate's office falls under the pervue of the local ruler. There are always two sets of laws to consider. Kingdom law comes first, but is more generic and applies to a lot of trade and tax law. Local law comes next, and applies more to social and custom. Lower Courts have a council appointed by the local ruler from community heads (usually commoners or Nobles who volunteer because they think they might squeeze some coin out of the commoners through bribery, although this depends on the wealth of the province). Higher courts have a Justice (Judge) appointed by the ruler of the city or region. Higher courts may also have a jury of peers depending on the importance of the case (which is determined by the judge). In this case "peers" usually means a collection of nobles, and this can also be controlled by bribery and influence. Currency of Meitroz *Tridee = 10 Terin. Gold in color with a sylized head of the current King in silver on one side, and the words "In One-God May Meitroz Reign Eternal." These words surround the circle-dot symbol of the One-Church. *Terin = 10 Cronos. Silver in color with a stylized head of the previous King on one side, and the words "Always Watching. Ever Warded" around an eye on the other. *Cronos = Base Unit. Black in color with a blade and eagle on one side, and the words "Always Vigilant. Forever Strong." surrounding an ear on the other. Unknown to almost everyone on Minth, the Cordvin family has secretly bound large numbers of these coins with spellbindings that connect with a stack in the forbidden city and allow the King's watchers to hear and see what the coins are exposed to. This is how the king always seems to "know" what's going on. The production of these coins (a small percentage of the overall currency) is completely secret, and anyone knowing about them is basically a prisoner for life - or dead. The Yellow Underscale (Tavern) "The Yellow Underscale" is located in the poor district of Hezwuuld. The sign outside sported a shingle of a dragon pissing into a mug. It was also a house of ill-repute, and well-known for it's wild atmosphere. My MCs were forced to spend the night there when they arrived in the city during an emerald rising, and all businesses were closed and sealed. As the gate guard that met them was friends with the bar owner, he sent them there with an escort. The Underscale is a great place for people to meet, and the old tobacco-chewing overweight female barkeep is a hoot to talk with as she loves to gossip and knows the going's on of most things in the city. Plus, she makes her own skootch - a particularly strong blend of whiskey beloved by Kamboolii. Most evenings, the place is pretty lively. There are games (mainly knife throwing, darts, and dice). Bards and musicians are usually in residence, so there's occasionally dancing, and the girls come down to solicit customers. If you're looking for illicit substances or illegal artifacts, this is where you can contact dealers. The city guards usually turn a blind eye to this activity, thanks to the owner's generous kickbacks. Don't be surprised, though, if you run into the occasional spy. The Regent of the city likes to keep tabs on things. He doesn't shut the Underscale down because it's also a good place for him to collect information. Kamboolii meets "Bob" here, and they engage in a drinking match. Medical Technology of Minth The medical technology of Minth is limited compared to that of the Wu and many other worlds in the realmhead. For the most part, access to medical aid is limited by a person's status in society. For Commoners, the alternative to Alchemy is Herbalism. There are two types of Herbalists - Florists and Apothecaries. It's sort of an odd mix, and a convention of the culture, but Florists are similar to lightly trained Apothecaries. The Kuduu (the living jungle covering Minth) is filled with flowers, blossoms, roots, bulbs, and plants that absorb and use Ka for specific purposes. Plus, there are plenty that have various chemical properties. Florists don't process what they gather, but they know what it can do. The poorest people can obtain these substances from a Florist for very cheap. Apothecaries also buy their reagents from Florists, but they process them according to formulas passed down through the ages to concentrate them and alter their properties, making them more effective. Some herbalist concoctions are very powerful indeed. Commoners don't use professional midwives, but there are generally people in their communities (other women that have taken this role) that aid in the birth process. For Nobles, the best of everything is available. They can hire an Alchemist, a Physician, or a SpellBinder to produce whatever they need. That being said, there are still plenty of functions the magic of this culture cannot perform or doesn't have the lore to produce. Anti-aging elixirs, for example, can't keep someone alive forever, but they can slow aging and add 20 to 30 years. They do have potions that will cause regeneration, but it's limited and it can take a year or two to grow back a missing limb. SpellBinders working with Mechanists or Engineers can build Ka-powered limbs, but they don't look like flesh, they look like a robot arm or leg. Replacement eyes can be designed, but they can't be connected with the muscle tissue, so they don't move in the eye socked. Professional Physicians and Alchemists are very learned, and know a great deal of medical lore from previous ages. Physicians are trained in a Guild, like many other professions. They also have a school within the Kingdom's university, which is located in the capital city of Pendor. Anyone with talent for learning healing may join the Physicians Guild, or the Alchemists Guild. Herbalists do not have a guild, and generally function by apprenticeship. Florists are generally taught by their parents and the profession is handed down through the family. Same with "Gatherers" who are a profession of people that go out into the Kuduu to gather the plants used by Florists and Herbalists (often Gatherers are members of a Florists family). Food Production and Crops Kikk is the primary crop used to produce all bread products, including tortas. Kikk (spelled lowercase in-sentence) is grown everywhere. Olives are a secondary crop used to produce olive oil as well as the olives themselves. Tomatos are common. Potatos serve as a great starch but they're commonly just referred to as "tubers" and the term "tubers" may refer to any plant that grows like potatos, including some forms of Kuduu. The Grand Bazaar The grand bazaar is in the town square. It's a massive cobblestone square that's empty at night. During the day it's filled with street vendors who set up their portable tents and awnings to sell their wares and barter. It's a Metrian convention that all towns have a grand bazaar. They also have your standard shops, but the grand bazaar is like a mall where you can find pretty much anything made. Places like the Shebata Waypoint (a trading hub) have very active bazaars because its a stopping place for caravans moving products between Midland, Dorfhead, Hezwuuld, and Rydel. Shebata isn't a city, though, it's very small in terms of how much space is there, and the grand bazaar takes up a lot of it. Houses in Shebata are built straight up in a towering mass. Someone really needs to expand the warding stones to let the city grow beyond its walls, but it was originally a work camp for the SpellBinders and laborers building the great rune road. Category:Minth - Culture, Places, and Technology The One Church The Kingdom of Meitroz has one religion - the One-Church, usually just referred to as "The Church," but officially known as the "The Church of One-God." Meitroz is in the end stages of converting from polytheism to monotheism, and the government sanctions the church. It was an early decision of the first Cordvins that Meitroz use the One-Church to assist them in controlling the commoners. Anyone caught worshiping the "old Gods" is subject to persecution. These people are typically executed if they refuse conversion. All materials of worship pertaining to the old Gods has been burned and destroyed. It still crops up from time to time. There was a heavy-duty religious and ethnic cleansing that took place a couple of generations ago. Since then, the church as been more lax in rooting out heretics, but it's still active, and still looking. The base philosophy and primary tenant of the One-Church is that there is one creator God, and that all other Gods are false. Much of the suffering of humanity comes from rejection of God and the worship of false Gods. The Kuduu is one such curse, and in their belief, and the Kuduu will vanish once all traces of the false Gods have been wiped away, and not one person worships anyone other than God. Temple buildings or "churches" of the One-God can be found in every city and town of Meitroz. They are one of the first structures built in any township, and there will always be a Priest sent to take control over it. All towns have a temple too. You could call it a church - the two names are used interchangeably, although most people call the building itself a temple and the organization of the One-Church the "Church." Temples are typically pretty large. Before the One-Church rose to power, the people had a pantheon of Gods, and they typically gave money to pay for sacrifices. When the One-Church became the dominant religion, they kept the giving of money and turned it into tithing, which is expected of most who visit regularly. One-time donations are also accepted, of course. Anyway, because of this, and because of their influence with the King, the One-Church has a lot of capital. A lot of that money is put into building the temples and making them places of refuge for the poor during emerald risings. Of course, there is a price the poor pay for using the temple during risings - they usually have to sing and pray all night. A small price to pay for safety and comfort though. The One-Church Hierarchy: #Grand High Priest #High Priest #Priest (sometimes called Lower Priest) #Acolyte #Paritioner Terms: *"The Lord" is sometimes used in place of One-God *"God" is sometimes used as One-God *"Hell" is a common term and belief amongst almost all religions, old and new The Priests and Priestesses of the One-God are generally pacifists, and the religion was originally one that promoted peace and harmony with others. But that was before the Cordvin family decided to use the religion as an excuse to wipe out competing nations and cultures. Thus, non-violence is still a key part of their writings. You won't find the followers of the One-God in battle, nor is there any part of their order that would engage in violent activity. The Inquisition belongs entirely to the King, and was started by the Cordvin family. It is not actually part of the One-Church and takes no orders from them. The One-Church does believe that the emerald moon is a curse given by God, and that it will be removed only when all people worship the One-God and all other "false" religions are eliminated, but it has always been the intent of the church that this be accomplished through non-violent means - generally evangelism. So, the One-Church views violence as morally corrupt, and yet it tolerates violence because it has no choice. And while it views the Inquisition as a bastardization of their teachings - they are legally obligated to obey the King and give shelter and non-violent aid to Inquisitors whenever requested. Other things the One-Church views as morally corrupt would include sex outside of marriage, and infidelity in general. Homosexuality is viewed as deviant behavior, as his pedophilia, bestiality, and necrophilia. They also view necromancy as a sin against the One-God and nature. Thievery is viewed as corrupt behavior unless it's done to sustain life. (The One-Church might, for instance, forgive an orphan for stealing food to stay alive). Alcoholism and drug use is frowned upon and viewed as unclean behavior. Atonement of Sins From the perspective of the One-Church, you can look at it as being karmic in a sense. When you die, you're judged for your acts in life, both positive and negative. The balance of your soul is weighed against this. Atonement occurs by two mechanisms - you ask for forgiveness (from the person you have wronged) and you engage in acts of good to weigh against the wrong that you have done. These are generally expected to match one-for-one in order to erase the debt. Steal from someone, and you must give back as much as you have stolen. Murder someone, and you must save a life. Perform a selfish act, you must perform a selfless act. Lie to avoid something negative, and you must tell a truth that results in the same cost you have avoided. It's all subjective, of course, and one can never be sure they've balanced their bad with their good until they are judged by the One-God. Punishment, in the afterlife, is believed to be a temporary lesson in balance with the debt owed. Thus Hell is believed to be a temporary place of torment. This is an argument, however, that exists among the priesthood. Earlier writings talk of a different Hell - one that has invaded the world before and attempted to destroy it. The actions of atonement aren't debated - those are agreed upon - but the nature of the afterlife is still a topic of discussion in the One-Church. The Nohi religion is more Norse-based and has a pantheon, so the afterlife is different and so is the means of atonement. Its Gods and Goddesses are based on the elements, but they're personalities vary considerably. It's closer, in relation, to the old religion of the Tanathians than to the newer religion of the Metrians and their monotheism. To the Nohi, the afterlife is determined by the patron God and dispensed by Matrim, the God of Death, who shuttles souls to the appropriate realm where the parishioner is judged by their patron and punished or rewarded according to the strictures of that particular God. As you can imagine, Guere (the God of War) has no problems with violence, so long as bravery and honor were involved. So, atonement, for the Nohi, often involves discussing their transgressions with a priest of their particular patron, and then determining an appropriate penance or sacrifice. Terminology Naptha Liquid used by Firemen to kill Kuduu. Four Moons of Minth: '''DTar (romance), SaLing (wishing), MayJur (small), Emerald '''Slijj '''A form of iced sugary porridge beloved by children and adults alike. Basically like ice cream, it’s made from the blended roots of the peodang plant. '''Flurigon It had a long fanged snout and fangs that protruded from its lower jaw. Its legs were bent backwards. The rear limbs ended in three claws, but the fore-limbs ended in something like hands. Kamboolii has a bottle of them. They can fly on feathered wings. They’re about the size of a man’s head. Mandorian The Language of the Kingdom of Meitroz Tridee: Term for a gold coin in Meitroz – their primary denomination. Currency. Cronos: copper coins of low value. Zoral: Critter common to Minth. Predator rodent with a long fuzzy body like a ferret. Kuduu: the living jungle that surrounds the cities within the Kingdom of Meitroz. Only becomes highly active (fast) when the emerald moon rises. Fooker '''Fooker were odd looking creatures. If you took the skeleton of a horse and replaced the legs with that of a tiger and then threw a little muscle on the bones and covered the whole thing with reptile skin, you’d get something that looked like a Fooker. Reptilian in nature, they were obnoxious foul tempered beasts that required extensive training. But they were also fast, and they weren’t frightened of the Kuduu. '''Gardener: The premier warriors that fight back the Kuduu. Skein of Eadros: The portal leading between the realms. Ka: Magical energy generated by living things. Morain: Shape-shifting servants of the Drathraq. They are bred from lycans. Drathraq: The Drathraq are the primary protagonists. They are a race of Drow Vampires that have a long history, and they’ve developed a lot of technology. They are responsible for the creation of the Morain and a variety of other unsavory monster races. Krisna: Enchanted monocle used by Spellbinders to view runes. Excisor Lord: Wu Lord sent to find things and negotiate. Mimetic Disk: '''Mimetic disks were a fairly common construct. Nobles and the wealthy often purchased them. They were expensive toys that altered shape into useful objects when Ka was placed into them. '''Shego '''Weapon. Vanbracers with clawed hands that overlap the users real hands. '''Zeroz Weapon. Once there had been many of these, a backup weapon for the Templars of Ardus who served the Order of Keomin on the world of Fallon that lay in the Realm of Mentel. It could cut through flesh and bone like it was moving through water. Useless against metal armor though. Finkle '''Dice came that Kai carries with her and plays with Shoto and Brendy. '''D’tar '''One of the four moons of Minth, D’tar is associated with romance and love. Insults and Swears *Scrawn: scrawny person *Tea-hole *Cordvin's Beard *By the Ka of my kin *Half-assed fooker fracker *Painting Chamber Pots *Nyeth Bhak ABAR! - Maelron's Battle Cry *Fricken Puke: equivalent to "bullshit." Timekeeping on Minth They have mechanical clocks. The accuracy varies. In general, the larger ones keep accurate longer. Kamboolii's pocket watch is an exception, of course, because it wasn't made on Minth. They do have pocket watches on Minth, but they're rare and very expensive - typically toys of the nobility. The most common clock is the torsion pendulum clock. You can find these in many places even among commoners. Large pendulum clocks are also fairly common, though more expensive. Like most things on Minth, they're designed to last lifetimes, and if they break, the cost of repairing them is far less than the cost of a new one. Therefore, if a family buys a clock, it will be passed down for generations. Both Watchmakers and Tinkers will repair clocks. There was a torsion pendulum clock on Ophelia's mantel in her farmhouse, and also on the mantel in Thrix VanHausen's domicile outside the skein at Dorfhead. Timekeeping is extremely important to the Gardener's Guild. They keep a countdown between one emerald moon and the next. The clock outside the Gardener's Guild shows the two moons of Minth orbiting the world, and when they will rise and set. As dictated by tradition, the emerald moon is never shown in orbit, but the rising time is marked by a static green dot. (This tradition exists because it's not a moon and it never actually "rises." It "activates" moves, and "deactivates.") Ka-powered clocks exist, but aren't usually reliable without ordinite, which makes them very expensive, and somewhat overkill considering the more important uses of ordinite. Calendars are another issue. There are almost no seasons on Minth because the planet has almost no axial tilt as it orbits its sun. This makes the motivation for knowing the time of a complete rotation seem trivial, but it's still important to know when a year has passed. This is usually done by star-clocks attended by Stargazers who (in times past) have also been tasked with the countdown to the next Obliteration. Yes, sometimes Stargazers really can predict the future! Category:Minth - Culture, Places, and Technology Secret Societies and Organizations Severl different secret organizations exist on Minth. Not all are exclusive to Metrian society. The Sovereign The Sovereign exist world-wide. They are the ancesteral remnants of the Tanathian jailors that once existed on Minth when the planet was a penal colony for the Tanathian Empire. After the fall of Tanathis, these people were greatly persecuted, and went underground (figuratively) for their own protection. The Order The Order exists in the Forbidden City and belongs exlusively to the King. The Order is a collective of sensitives with "the talent" meaning that they have been born with radiosomes and use telepathic communication. Their purpose is to delve into the capacity of telepathy and construct devices to control it for the crown. To this end, they also employ SpellBinders of high caliber (dedicated to The Order). Gardener Patterns and Techniques '''Senjita Technique: Sphere of death rune on Master Jerguns silver gauntlet. Activated by the first hexagon. Zinereth Technique: Meant for cutting angle weed and razor grass, the zinereth pattern moves the blade along the ground at ankle-height in a high speed zig-zag that creates a wave of destruction along the ground. Weapons This section details some of the weaponry available on Minth. Bluss Slugs: *Shredders: Made for slicing through Kuduu, they break up when fired into a collection of small razor sharp shards. Accuracy at long range is poor. *Standard: Just a normal slug, heavy and made from steel or iron. *Explosive: A standard slug patterened to accept Ka input that is used to explode on impact. The detonation typically varies by design. Some slugs can accept variable Ka input. The bluss in use needs to be patterened to feed the slug. *Thrids: Designed for long range, these slugs have sharpened tips and spiral whorls that cause them to spin after being fired. ThunderBluss: A breach loaded Ka powered projectile weapon roughly the size of a sawed off shotgun. They come in several varieties: single, double, quad, penti and hex barreled. Some fire slugs charged with Ka for extra damage, while other simply launch a slug. Slugs may vary. MagnoBluss: A heavy bluss typically mounted to a turret. These operate the same way as the ThunderBluss but fire a much larger projectile. They are typically used against armored targets. They are often referred to as “heavy blusses.” Bombard: Like a bluss, but larger and firing explosive shells. On Minth, there are two types – one for shredding Kuduu and one for killing people (used for warfare). Carbino Bluss: Invented by the older version of the SpellBinder Quiggerly Jaggert, the carbine bluss is a standard Ka-powered bluss that contains a revolving cylinder instead of being breach loaded and can fire up to nine slugs. (This is a future Minth weapon). Arcbluss: Invented by the older version of the SpellBinder Quiggerly Jaggert, the arcbluss uses magical dimlok runelore to store the rounds and can fire rapidly. It is fully automatic and the dimlok runes can hold thousands of rounds. Additional runes operate as heat sinks to absorb the heat generated by the rapid fire. Quig has the only working version and will not mass produce them believing they will alter the balance of power on Minth. (This is a future Minth weapon). VitoBluss: These are a smaller variety of bluss with a single shot breach loaded mechanism, roughly the size of a pirate pistol. There is also a two shot variety with barrels one on top the other. Jergun's Crux Long ranged single shot hunting rifle. These are sometimes used by snipers in combat and are a favorite weapon of Ragners (Both Yottish and Metrian). Druhael Quad Breach Four shot large slug bluss with a known tendency for bad accuracy at range. Leemon Half-Hander Designed for minimal recoil so that someone missing two fingers could fire it. Turned out to be a good concealed weapon for other people, so it became somewhat popular. The half-hander is a microbluss, roughly the size of a pistol. Thundercuss Doublebluss Made from stamped steel and produced in large quantities for Kingdom of Meitroz troops, the Thundercuss is one of the lowest quality blusses with poor accuracy and a tendency to rust. Fulgoth Bombard Rare weapon used by original settlers, fires a single shot from breach, very large, highly inaccurate, but the slug is hex patterned for detonation (assuming you can get your hands on this ammunition which is now no longer produced). Zalguard Hackbut Double shot bluss, breach loaded, butt and muzzle equipped with steel blades for mele combat. Produced by the Zalguard Confederation, a government that fell some two thousand years ago. Simmons Caliver Long bore rifle, single shot, small round, made for range. Has additional cross hairs and rifling. Used for sniping. More advanced versions are equipped with as Shenshia scope. These are fairly rare, and were produced by the SpellBinder Etosh Simmons. They allow variable Ka input for better range control, but this takes some training and skill to get used to. Shenshia Scope Very rare, using optics similar to those deployed by dreamcasters but reversed to pull light in and project it into the eye of the shooter, allowing them to see at extreme distances. Micro Bluss These are basically pistols (a smeerp I think I'm going to use). They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all limited in capacity by the breach-loaded technology employed by the SpellBinders of Minth. The slugs they fire are also smaller in size, but quite capable of dealing death. Micro Blusses are rarer than standard blusses. They have a more limited range, and their accuracy suffers due to barrel length. They're a favorite of sailors, pirates, airmen, and sometimes used in civil defense (mainly officers as a backup weapon). They are also used in duelling, but those are single-shot models (which is the majority in any case). Blazer Blazers are very rare and belong almost exclusively to the nobility. These hand-held pistol-sized weaopns fire a thermal energy beam of great intensity that can burn its way straight through plate steel and stay on for roughly three seconds, allowing the user to sweep an area and cut it down. Unfortunately, they take about a minute to charge, making them almost worthless in fast combat, and they use a massive amount of Ka, draining the user's Ka-well quite rapidly (an average Human would expend half their Ka to charge a blazer once). These are an older form of technology, and most SpellBinders don't even know how to make them anymore. Those that do exist are owned by noble leaders in high positions and rarely ever used. Stinger A stinger is another hand-held pistol-sized weapon that is very rare and owned exclusively by nobility. It fires an pulse of etherial energy that disrupts neural activity in the target, essentially scrambling their ability to think and control their body. The effect is temporary, lasting roughly ten minutes on average, and those stung are only stunned until the effect wears off. It is older technology, and most SpellBinders cannot produce them. Their greatest advantage is charge time. It only takes a half-second to charge a Stinger, and they require very little Ka, allowing them to fire over and over again. Those nobles that own Stingers prefer them to all other weapons and prize them greatly. Their accuracy is good, but they have a maximum range of about 200 feet, after which the etherial pulse diffracts and fades away, bleeding off into the ether. Gardening Shears Standard = triangle, and a circle, and a rectangle. Jerguns sheers also have two hexagons. The triangle powers the lift, the circle represents the blade, and the rectangle retracts the blade back into position. You should be able to move the circle with your mind. That’s the hardest part to learn. Reach out with your mind and concentrate on the circle. Move it over a target, like those vines over there. Feed your Ka into the triangle. That’s tricky too, because you have to control your Ka flow. Too much, and the blade will spin out of control. Too little and it won’t spin fast enough. A thread of light runs from the sheer to the blade, it’s called a Katrail. It can’t get tangled, it’s just energy. The circle represents the blade. You have to keep the circle horizontal to what you’re cutting. However the circle is oriented, the blade matches. To retracting, feed Ka into the rectangle. The zip-cut is a sequence that sends the blade out, cuts something, and brings it straight back to the gauntlet. Target, push, and pull. The Senjita technique. First hexagon in Jerguns’ sheer. The blade circles in a spherical pattern quite rapidly, increasing in speed until it generates a rotating ball of death that can be directed, expanded, and basically slices the shit out of everything it comes across. The Porova technique. Second hexagon on Jerguns’ sheer. The blades create a spherical pattern locked around the Gardener, making a ball of protection with the Gardener in the center. This isn't particularly beneficial for anyone standing near the Gardener. Metrian Armor and Battle Weaponry includes firearms, so my armor is generally fairly light. The armor technology isn't up to the level of protecting against firearms which will punch right through it. But, because the firearms are limited to breach-loaded single-shot / per muzzle weapons (they don't have semi-auto technology) there is considerable time between firing to empty and reloading. (They do have multi-barrel weapons, but single-shot is the most common and hex-barrels are the rarest). Gardener's armor is different. It's a mix of chain and plate designed to protect against Kuduu, which is an animated plant. Kuduu generally attacks at close range, although it does have a few long range attacks (usually poison gas, or explosive seed pods). Typically, Kuduu will use razor vine and differentiated insects (vaskii, spelda, and reavers) that can crawl at high speed. Gardener's armor is designed to be light enough not to restrict movement (you can run in it) but strong enough to prevent spines and barbs from penetrating. The chain mesh is pretty tightly woven around the legs. There are shin guards, knee guards, gauntlets, a plated breast similar to a Roman Segmentata Lorica Breastplate with shoulder plauldrons. The helm is similar to a Barbute but with wider eye openeings and larger holes for the ears. It's generally golden in color - a bronzing applied after they're made. Helmets aren't always worn. A lot of Gardener's prefer not to have their senses dulled by the helm. Speed is frequently of the essence in combating the Kuduu. Guardsmen usually wear a light chain armor and helm with leather or cloth underneath. Professional soldiers usually rely on leather armor with a mix of some chain and very little plate. They do wear greaves, steel bracers, and sometimes they have a coif (specifically the militia). In battle, the Metrians typically rely on air support, which has been their means of defeating most of their enemies. The Metrians have airship technology and produce naptha bombs, so their typical procedure is to fire bomb the enemy before sending troops in. They also have steam powered crawlers (a six-wheeled armored vehicle) with a heavy turret that fires larger shells than the hand-held blusses. So, for them, combat is a game of "blast the enemy at range" and then "send the troops in to take the ground." This is why most of their soldiers are lightly armored. In close combat, the enemy typically has the advantage over them, so they avoid it at all costs. Metrian soldiers carry a standard 40 inch straight sword for close combat. So far, no one has come up with the idea of a bayonet. Clothing I use robes a lot, and I have a lot of different cultures, so I also use jerkins, trousers, all sorts of armor, vests, sweaters, dresses, kilts, military uniforms, etc. Personally, I hate describing attire, so I try to keep it to a minimum. When I do describe it, I try and keep it simple - type of outfit and color if I feel it applies. The Drathraq wear an under-armor of lexxian, a type of liquid crystal that hardens on impact. Over that they wear a dark uniform with minimal design, relying on telepathy to identify each other. Gardeners wear a gold colored armor - an alloy - and a green cloak. Morain wear the clothing of their victims. Peasants and peons on Minth typically wear cloth trousers and blouses. I usually describe robes as having trim, designs, and colors that designate the order of the individual, if they have an order that they ascribe to. The Nohi The Nohi are the people who lived in the Hezwuuld region prior to the coming of the Cordvinn family. The Cordvinn's edited history to make the Nohi appear to have been vicious barbarians. This was not the case, and the Nohi did not unlawfully attack the Metrian settlers (although they did ask them to leave). The Metrians knowlingly settled in Nohi territory, and then the Kings soldiers (posing as Nohi) attacked one of the settlements and killed men women and children, butchering the bodies and leaving them hanging from stakes. Using this as an excuse to attack the "Nohi Barbarians" the Metrians conducted a prolonged campaign of ethnic cleansing, searching out and murdering thousands of Nohi. As Ophelia has explained it, the Nohi educate their children about their culture at home, and teach them never to reveal their lineage or ever speak of it outside the doors of their homes. A lot of it is word of mouth, but many ancient writings have survived. Due to this fact, and that the Kingdom of Meitroz has been very active in re-writing history and suppressing a lot of historical works (mostly among the commoners), the Nohi descendants actually have a better grasp of the history of their world than most Metrians ever will. Marriage is conducted via arrangement of the Nohi elders who operate in cells. Each cell only knows a few of the other cells. They have some designated message drops buried out in the Kuduu where they won't be found, and Nohi herbalists that search for plants in the Kuduu operate as messengers. In terms of placing people in power, it's been difficult due to the inherited nature of power in Metrian culture, but they have managed to "assume" the identities of a few nobles, and from there they've been able to place commoners in powerful positions (as far as commoner positions go). As far as religion, the Nohi have their own pantheon, and teach it to their children, but it is very much forbidden by the One-Church, just as the One-Church forbids the older religions of the Metrians. Moons of Minth Minth possesses four moons counting the Emerald Moon. The Emerald Moon is special, and has no net effect on the tides of Minth. The other three moons are standard moons of varying size, all affecting Minth's tides to some degree. *DTar - the romance moon, red in color. *SaLing - the wishing moon, gold in color. *MajJur - the smallest moon, but brightest (white) due to its mineral content. *Emerald - the Emerald moon. The Emerald Moon (Spoiler Info) The Emerald Moon is a crystal device set into high orbit over Minth. It was originally constructed by the Tanathians when they first colonized Minth. Its function is to absorb Ka-del, the type of Ka absorbed by the Kuduu. At some point after the fall of the Tanathian Empire, the Emerald Moon was either damaged or set to dump the Ka it absorbs every three weeks. This is what causes an “Emerald Rising.” The people of Minth don't know anything about the Emerald Moon or what it is. To them it's simply a fact of life that this green star shows up every three weeks and the Kuduu goes wild. The Wu is entirely aware of the Emerald moon and the Emerald Network, but because they performed manipulations on the network at some point in the past when the world of Minth was first connected back to the Tanalithic Realmhead, the Wu has made it a policy not to provide or discuss any information about it with the people and governments of Minth. (They are concerned that the function of the moon and it's dump of Ka-del might be blamed on their failed manipulations, which isn't necessarily the case, but it could cause them trouble). Hence, most Wu agents sent to Minth are "governed" with mental blocks either removing this knowledge, or preventing them from speaking of it. Kamboolii is one of the exceptions to this rule, which is why he screws it up in-story. In addition to the Emerald Risings, there is also another dump called the “Emerald Obliteration” or the “Millennial Doom” or the “Millennium Moon” or the “Emerald Darkness.” This occurs every 1000 years, and during this time the emerald moon ceases to operate for a month to perform cleanup operations. For four weeks during the Millennium Moon the Kuduu goes wild and invades the cities and farmlands, wiping out much of the architecture. Humans move underground during this time, and when they resurface they must rebuild everything that was destroyed. The “Deeps” or the “Undercities” were designed for this purpose. Redoubts, vaults, and sanctuaries exist throughout Minth to provide safe havens for populations during the Emerald Darkness. Time on Minth in years is counted by the Emerald Darkness. This is referred to as a “Darkening” and with the world “Age” after it. So, the fifth Darkening is called the Fifth Age. Year 238 of the Fifth Darkening (or Fifth Age) would be 5238 years after the fall of the Tanathian Empire. In count, an Emerald Darkness is called an "Ot" and time is usually stated in 33 Ot 532 (which would be the 33rd millennium year 532). About Ka "Ka" is the term I use for a quantity of magic stored internally. This is equivalent to a Chi/Ki model. In my current multiverse, the Fey (or Fae, of which there are many types) absorb Ka in much greater quantities than humans do, but both absorb it. Ka comes from the sky (essentially part of sunlight and starlight - radiation). The largest quantity of Ka is absorbed by the Kuduu - a plant that covers the entire planet and is essentially one entity although composite in nature and made from many many different types of plants. Kuduu doesn't exist everywhere, but it's an integral part of my story and the three worlds over which the story takes place all have Kuduu. A "Ka well" is the term for Ka stored internally. Everyone absorbs Ka, and everyone has a well of the stuff. How extensive that well is varies from person to person, and may increase over time the more frequently Ka is used. Fey cannot tap the Kuduu for energy, but because their Ka well is so extensive, they typically have far more Ka available to them than your average human. Some of the darker Fey will form bargains with humans to allow them the use of their Ka in return for their soul when they die. There do exist some entities that can tap the Ka in Kuduu, but they are derived from the Kuduu itself. How Ka can be used is dependent on the realm you exist in. Almost all realms allow SpellBinding through embedding patterns in metal and feeding Ka into it. Essentially, this is electrical circuitry but with magic as a power source. Ka flows through the embedded patterns that SpellBinders create, and alters physics in a localized area as denoted by the logic in the switches. SpellBinders are effectively programmers who know how to create these embedded patterns. They use a series of runic languages for this purpose. The use of SpellBound objects and artifacts (magic items) is possible by using Ka as a power source. People feed their Ka into these objects to activate them, and engage mental (illusionary) interfaces that appear to them when the objects are activated. These objects span the spectrum from something as advanced as a golem with an embedded mentality and multiple runic components to a simple hot plate you can use to cook on. My primary world where much of the story takes place does not have an aether, and the magic there is limited to SpellBinding (what would typically be referred to as Enchanting objects). But on many worlds there is an aether. The term aether refers to a pocket dimension that Ka can be fed into. Aether can hold patterns, and on worlds with an aether there is both SpellBinding and AirWeaving. AirWeaving is the art of "programming" the aether temporarily with memorized patterns. AirWeavers are essentially SpellBinders that bind to the aether rather than metal. The Fey are innate AirWeavers and on worlds without an aether, they can only produce a few innate effects that are typically limited by their type. On worlds with an aether, they have additional abilities (if they have learned the art). AirWeaving is more like "casting a spell" but it still had an interface in the mage's mind. They "see" what they are weaving in the aether even though others don't (because it's in their own mind's eye) and manipulate the patterns internally from memorized programming components. Professions dealing with magic include SpellBinding, AirWeaving, Alchemy - which is embedding patterns in crystal suspended in a liquid, Necromancy - which involves both Alchemy and SpellBinding, and other professions which are usual mixtures of these arts that are combined to produce a specific product or effect. If you run out of Ka, there is no ill-effect from it. At least for humans. They do get a little tired expending Ka, it requires concentration. Streaming large amounts of Ka out of your body (or into it) puts a strain on the system. Fey require it and can't allow their Ka well to go completely dry. If a Fey is feeding Ka to a human, for example, they typically shut down the connection before they run dry, saving a quantity for their own use. Although Fey/Human connection isn't a common thing at all. Minth Timeline Still a WIP - the timeline of Minth starts roughly 40,000 years ago when the Tanathians colonized the planet. * 0-1000: The Lost Age Establishment of the Sovereign *1001-2000: The Dark Age (The Great Emptiness) *2001-3000: The Age of Tamada *2242-2321: The Necromantic Wars *2822: Fall of the Tamada Empire *3001-4000: The Henkerd Age (The Hen) *3119: Rise of Henkerd Kingdom *3222: Establishment of the Henkerd Empire *3532: Establishment of the Henkerd Dominium *3944: Rise of the Elemental Order *4001-5000: The Age of Elementalism *4066: The Henkerd/Fathridge Schism *4069: The first Elemental Wars begin *4072: The Sinking of the Continent of Isthdal. Dissolution of the Henkerd Dominium. *4095: End of the first Elemental Wars *4110: Establishment of the first Grand Elementalist. The Establishment of the Great Holds of Stone, Water, Fire and Air. *4277: Rise of the Vaylor *4284: The second Elemental Wars begin – Destruction of the Vaylor *4295: End of the second Elemental Wars, fracturing of the Great Holds *4355: Rise of the Padenthall Union *4372: Expansion of the Padenthall Confederacy *4444: The third Elemental War, Great Holds vs. Padenthall *4454: End of the third Elemental Wars, establishment of the Padenthall free holdings. Beginning of the Great Peace. *4823: Birth of Renkle Faarn. *4852: Establishment of the Moy City State under Fen Moy. *4861: Construction of the Grey Army (Stone Golems) via Renkle Faarn *4901: The Moy Wars begin. Keskaar and Dibian fall to Moy. *4905: Moy invades Padenthall. End of the Great Peace, Rise of the Moyish Empire. *4922: The Days of Stone Fall and the Great Obliteration *4923: The Skook Rebellion and the Moyish Civil War. *4926: Fall of the Padenthall. The Rise of Anarchy. *5001-6000: Age of Anarchy 5012: The Obsidian Plague *5027: Establishment of the Kingdom of Kesh *5032: Establishment of the Kingdom of Baelish *5043: Establishment of the Dorwiki City State. First clearing of Dorfhead *5122: Rise of the Machines - Mineyos Minkay *5155: Establishment of Meitroz under Machine Rule *5344: Development of Anti-Magic in Baelish - The Baeleen Order *5347: Beginning of the Baeleen Rebellion *5356: End of the Baeleen Rebellion, End of Machine Rule in Meitroz *5365: Establishment of the Baeleen Alliance *5421: Rise of the Omorian Pantheon (Cult of Omorisis) *5423: Prophecies of Ormanduu Written *5486: Construction of the Grand Omorian Temple in the Deep Green *5504: Rise of the Vardenkhol Kingdom *5533: Establishment of the Saarendoth Order *5543: The Dibian Rebellion *5549: The Omorian Inquisition Begins - death to mentalism and Saarendoth *5622: The “Unpopular Years” of Omoria - beginning of the Omorian fall *5655: Rise of the One-God (the Nameless God of All) *5667: Beginning of the Divine Crusades *5733: End of the Divine Cursades, Fall of the Omorian Pantheon *5764: Star Fall 5765: The Great Dying *5766: Retreat to the Deep Lands (The Lost Times) *5834: Construction of the Divine Lens. The Nameless Age *6001-13,000: The First Ages of Ice *6001 - 12000: The Lost Times and the Lens War *12012-12,400: The Obsidian Death *13,455: The Great Thaw begins *13,476: The Great Flooding begins *13,500: Sunrise and the Wandering Years *13,574: Re-establishment of the Kingdom of Erus *13,612: Establishment of the Baronies of Pendor Metrian History The Kingdom of Meitroz serves as the environment for most the first book. It is a feudal monarchy in most regards, but it is highly regulated by King Ottair Cordvin and his administration. It's also relatively new to this world, having been established only eight generations ago. Prior to that, it was part of the Yottish confederacy - a loosely bound collection of tribes that existed primarily as individual city states. The Metrians came from the north, under the leadership of the Cordvin family, and with the benefit of ancient airship technology given to them by a secret organization that has been manipulating this world for thousands of years, they bombed the Yottish into submission and drove them south, taking over their cities one by one. What is left of Yottland is now one city state on the southern border of Meitroz, a buffer between the Metrians and the Deep Green. After decimating the Yottish, the Cordvins re-wrote history, casting the Yottish as a corrupt perverted deviant people that had allowed the proliferation of a false pantheon of Gods. With the help of the newly established religion, the Cordvins conducted a decade of ethnic cleansing, wiping out any who worshiped the old gods and using the church of the One-God to cement their control over society. Since that time, those Yots that remained in Meitroz have either converted or died. Few remain. They are easily spotted. The Yottish are almost all red-heads or blond with blue eyes, while the Metrians are almost uniformly dark haired and dark-eyed. Occasionally, the Yots will still raid some of the southern cities - or at least that's what the Cordvins say as an excuse to send in airships and bomb them. The Capital city of Meitroz lies to the south east, not far from the southern border where there exists seven baronies, all of which produce specific goods and technologies that the Kingdom relies on. These barons hold a lot of power in the monarchy - political power by proxy of hold on certain technologies. Thus the King panders to them. He could wipe them out and take control, but if he did that to one, the others would turn on him, and then the Yots would see an opportunity, and there would be war. So a balance of power is kept between the King and the seven Barons. The rest of the Kingdom of Meitroz is rather far-flung, and ruled by a wide variety of noble Lords, Regents, Princes, Dukes, and sometimes even elected officials like Mayors. They all have their own individual histories. Most of the story takes place in the Hezwuuld region, which is on the western coast of Meitroz, and less controlled by the King than the central and eastern cities. The Hezwuuld region was once the home of barbarian tribes known as the Nohi. When the Cordvins spread to the west and discovered them, they made a series of excuses to obliterate the Nohi - mainly claiming that they had murdered Metrian settlers. The Nohi were plenty warlike enough - similar in some ways to Vikings. But they had no airship technology, and fell just as the Yottish, except that the Nohi weren't driven out of their lands, they were simply hunted down and murdered. Their history was re-written as well (a standard practice of the Cordvins), and the Nohi were made out to be bloodthirsty primitive savages. In actuality, the possessed considerable lore, but it was not enough to protect them. Hezwuuld was once a principality, but when the King died, the prince returned home to rule, and left a Regent in his stead. Since then, four generations of loyal Regents have ruled Hezwuuld and the west coast. But it is wild territory compared to the east, and mainly produces grains, meat, and clothing. Several guilds and secret organizations exist within Meitroz, and over the world of Minth as a whole. (This world only has one large continent). The planet itself was colonized some 40,000 years ago by a now vanished empire with the technology to open gates between alternate realities. Minth was originally a penal colony, and used as a prison because the world lacks aether, making it impossible to airweave (cast magic). Thus, the Tanathians dumped arcane criminals onto this world. After the fall of the Tanathian Empire, all gates ceased to function for thousands of years, and the worlds were separated. Those people who existed on Minth as members of the "jailor" class (there to watch over the prisoners) created an organization called "The Sovereign." They still possess access to certain Tanathian archives, and certain Tanathian artifacts, and they are the ones who have largely manipulated much of the political landscape - typically focusing on creating stable countries at the expensive of liberty and freedom (so long as it creates stability for them and gives them power, they're satisfied with almost any regime). Metrian rule is extremely class base and inherited. Nobles own all the land. Nobles control the courts, the military, and the civil defense. They lease land, and tax all commerce. They enforce the theology of the church. They set the rules and laws for the operation of Guilds. They own the Kingdom and Guild postal networks. They own and control all of the printed material and archives. They decide who may petition the King to leave this world. The only organization with a presence in Meitroz that is not controlled by the King is the sages of the Wu, and that is due to a concord between the Kingdom and the Wu. The Wu primarily exists off-world in another realm, and is not a government, but rather a regulatory agency that controls the skeins (gates) that can be used to travel between realms. The Wu is largely guided by Temporalists that view future threading to determine the best possible outcome and the route to it. They require sages on every world to gather information to fill in the threading. On Minth, the sages operate Wu libraries, which exist in most of the large towns. But they are restricted, and the Wu sages are forbidden from providing any historical material regarding the world they operate on. Want to know about the history of another realm? That's fine. Want to know your own history? Forget about it. Because Minth is a swampy nasty world largely infested by a dangerous plant called Kuduu, almost no one ever travels to Minth. And, of course, there's the government to consider. Even if it were a wonderful place to vacation, who'd want to risk getting on the wrong side of a noble and thrown in jail to rot (or executed)? In short, no one wants it, and everyone leaves the place alone. There are tens of thousands of worlds in the realmhead. This one sucks. Metrian Education Education falls in a variety of categories depending on the character and what they have access to. The state does not supply any form of mandatory education, but the church takes up that slack among the commoners, with basic reading, writing, and math, as well as religious classes. It's an easy form of evangelism and indoctrination - they offer the classes, and the commoners pay with their loyalty to the church and the faith. For nobles, the typical method is through hired tutors. And in the larger cities (not where the story takes place) there are schools of learning where a noble can go to further their education. It's expensive, but most nobles can easily pay for it. For Gardeners and SpellBinders and many of the other specialized professions, there are Guilds one can join that provide extensive training. The guilds also regulate how their profession can operate, and of course, they exact dues from their members. Think of it as a labor union. And then there are apprenticeships, which are very common among the guilds and various other professions. It's not always easy landing one. The person in question has to have the right connections, or just be the "chosen" one of the individual desiring the apprentice. In the outland areas, apprenticeships are quite common, particularly among SpellBinders, Alchemists, Herbalists, Mechanics, Builders, etc. Research: There is a university in the Capital city. Research is conducted by a huge number of people - individuals with their own specialty of study. There is a certain amount of material already compiled from generations past, and some of it is accessible to the current people, so a lot of what counts as "research" is really digging through what they can find of the past and figuring it out. A lot of this is done by "noble scholars" who have the money, time, and access to libraries. Individual research is still carried out by commoners, the most being done by SpellBinders and Alchemists. Magic and science are quite mixed. Magic manipulates physical laws, so understanding the physical laws is of primary importance. SpellBinders embed runic circuitry in metal and sometimes stone laced with metals. Their art is akin to programming, and so it is always in flux. Minor patterns are worked into major ones. Old patterns stored in stacks are analyzed and built on. SpellBinding is one of the few commoner professions that's viewed by the nobility as prestigious, particularly if the SpellBinder produces excellent work that is usable to them. The One-Church doesn't study such things, but does provide a degree of education for commoners. It's one way the order spreads itself. Evangelism through education. Commoners are taught to read and write by the One-Church, along with theology. But those with this degree of education are far from academics. Within the Forbidden City - the inner part of the Captial where the King resides - there are specific orders. In fact, one of them is simply known as "The Order." The Order is a collective of sensitives with "the talent" meaning that they have been born with radiosomes and use telepathic communication. Their purpose is to delve into the capacity of telepathy and construct devices to control it for the crown. To this end, they also employ SpellBinders of high caliber (dedicated to The Order). Another secret organization is The Sovereign. The Sovereign exist world-wide. They are the ancestral remnants of the Tanathian jailers that once existed on Minth when the planet was a penal colony for the Tanathian Empire. After the fall of Tanathis, these people were greatly persecuted, and went underground (figuratively) for their own protection. The Sovereign manipulate and control societies on Minth using ancient artifacts and knowledge of science and technology that only they possess. They are constantly performing research on the materials of the past - and guard their knowledge jealously. Very few are aware of their existence. Off world, there is the Wu in the Realm of Celestus. There, entire worlds are dedicated to study, and those who are deemed worthy from the tens of thousands of Realms (of which Minth is one) are brought to Celestus to participate in their research. The lore they possess is far beyond anything on Minth. Category:Minth - Culture, Places, and Technology